Articulated water-wheel

ABSTRACT

An improvement in water-wheels in which their buckets are pivoted to their hubs so that they can swing freely from a position tangent to the hub, where they can contain a mass of water and accelerate it to produce thrust, to a fully extended position, where they can discharge their mass of water, swing freely out of the water, and counter-rotate to absorb the impact of re-entering the water.

United States Patent Mason Nov. 20, 1973 [54] ARTICULATED WATER-WHEEL 2,404,044 7/1946 Falk 416/197 ll'lvemoli J M85011, Baltimore, Md. FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 22 il d; No 30 1971 344,196 8/1904 France 416/119 [21] Appl 203214 Primary ExaminerEverette A. Powell, Jr. Attorney John S. Mason v [52] US. Cl. 416/119, 416/197 w 7" B63h 5 02 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field Of Search 416/119, 197, 111, An improvement in water wheels in which their buck 416/117; 115/49 53 ets are pivoted to their hubs so that they can swing freely from a position tangent to the hub, where they [56] References Cted can contain a mass of water and accelerate it to pro- UNITED STATES PATENTS duce thrust, to a fully extended position, where they 98,392 12/1869 Lowden 416/119 can discharge their mass of water, swing freely out of 279,558 6/1883 Fogg 416/119 the water, and counter-rotate to absorb the impact of 705,397 7/1902 Graham 416/119 re-entering the water. 798,372 8/1905 Welsh 416/119 9 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PAIENTEU nnv 20 I973 SHEET 1 [IF 2 //Vl/ENTOR %An 5 %m 1 ARTICULATED WATER-WHEEL OBJECT OF THE INVENTION Recent developments in surface-riding, air-cushionsupported boats indicate that these vehicles can traverse the water at speeds from 50 MPH to 200 MPH offering no more resistance to forward motion than automobilies operating in the same range of speeds. If a means of propulsion can be developed that is as efficient as rubber tires on a road, then these boats can be made to operate at these speeds with no more expenditure of fuel thanautomobilies, and a new and practical form of transportion will have been introduced.

The most widely used means of propulsion for modern boats is the water'screw propeller. At the speeds under consideration, this device dissipates a large portion of its energy in hub turbulence and cavitation. It also generates extremely high skin friction because its rotational motion is greater than its forward motion. These'e'nergy losses result in excessive slip and a corresponding loss of efficiency. An older device, the waterwheel, does not have the basic faults of the screw propeller. It does not generate hub turbulence and cavitation because it operates with its hub above the surface of the water. When turning in the direction of the motion of the boat, its rotational motion is approximately equal to its forward motion, so that its skin friction loss is only the vertical component of the skin friction of its buckets entering and leaving the water. The principal fault of the water-wheel is that it dissipates large amounts of energy when its buckets impact the water and when they drag and carry water with them as they leave the water. If these faults can be eliminated, then the energy losses in a water-wheel will be much smaller than those of a screw propeller. They will only amount to bearing friction, air friction, and the verticle componerits of the skin friction of the buckets when they enter and leave the water. Since automobile wheels experience bearing friction, air friction, slip, and a loss of energy required to continuously flex the rubber tire against the road, it is conceivable that the energy losses of a water-wheel can be reduced to the same order of magnitude as those of an automobile wheel. If this can water-wheel is equipped with blades, the accumulated mass of water escapes around the edges of the blades and dissipates a portion of the thrust. If the water-wheel is equipped with fixed buckets, air is trapped in the buckets as they enterthe water, and while this has the effect of cushioning the impact of entry, it also reduces the mass of water in the bucket with a corresponding reduction of thrust. To produce maximum thrust, a water-wheel must be equipped with buckets that gather a mass of water without air inclusion, contain the full mass throughout the entire acceleration period, and

immediately discharge it after acceleration. So

equipped, a water-wheel will not dissipate energy at bucket impact, will not drag at bucket withdrawal, will not slip appreciably, and will drive a boat with an expediture of fuel equivalent to that of an automobile operating at the same speed.

Therefore, it is the object of my invention to improve the operating efficiency of water-wheels by eliminating or greatly reducing their energy losses at bucket impact and bucket withdrawal and, at the same time, maintaining their full capability to produce thrust.

It is also the object of my invention to provide speed boats with efficient water-wheels of simple construction that are not costly to manufacture and that can operate in water at high speeds over long periods of time with a minimum of maintainance which can be easily performed.

These and related objects of my invention will be demonstrated in the following specification in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an orthographic drawing of an Articulated Water-wheel in one postion of rotation.

FIG. 2 is a view showing the action of a bucket as it enters and leaves the water.

FIG. 3 is two views of a speed boat equipped with Articulated Water-wheels.

DESCRIPTION Basically, the Articulated Water-wheel consists of a hub which is driven above the surface of the water by a conventional power source, and to which are pivoted two or more open-ended buckets. The buckets are free to swing about their pivots between a nested position tangent to the hub, where they can contain a mass of water and accelerate it to produce thrust, and an extended radial position where they can discharge their mass of water through their open ends.

FIG. 1 shows a plan view and an elevation of a sixbucket Articulated Water-wheel. The hub H, which is equipped with flanges F and baffles B, io rotating in a direction R with its peripheral face C tangent to the surface of the water S. The buckets A are attached to the hub at pivots P. Four of the buckets are swingingfree of the water in their extended radial position. One bucket has entered the water and is counter-rotating to its nested position tangent to the hub. The sixth bucket is nested against the hub at the point of deepest penenot impede the discharge of water when they are swinging free after the thrusting period. When the buckets are nested against the hub, they lie between flanges F and against baffles B in such a way that their after openings are closed and they can contain a mass of water, accelerate it, and produce thrust. Orifices O are provided at the base of baffles B and under pivots P to enable the thrusting bucket to force a jet of water into the nest of the following bucket which will act as a cushion to the nesting impact of that bucket. Baffles B are so inclined that they will effectively close the after openings of the buckets when they are nested, and will not impede the discharge of water when the buckets are swinging free of the water after the thrusting period. When the buckets are in their extended radial position they are restricted by baffles B from swinging beyond that position when the water-wheel is decelerating or operating in reverse. The width of the buckets is calculated for each application to give them capacity to contain a mass of water that will produce the desired thrust without slip.

FIG. 2 shows a series of positions of any given bucket and its velocity vectors as they change during a revolution of the water-wheel. The figure shows the hub rotating with its peripheral face tangent to the surface of the water S. The peripheral velocity of the hub is V s and, if the water-wheel is operating without slip at this speed, V s is equal to the speed of the boat. In positions 1, 2, and 3 the bucket is in its extended radial position, swinging free of the water, with tip velocities V V and V At position 4 the bucket strikes the water with velocity V, which is equal in magnitude to V V and V The horizontal component of V is V, which is equal to V Therefore, if the water-wheel is operating without slip, V is equal and oposite to the speed of the boat; which means the bucket is entering the water vertically with no horizontal motion. From position 4 to position 5, the bucket counter-rotates with respect to the hub and penetrates the water only so far as its inertia exceeds the resistance of the water. As it penetrates the water, it accelerates in the direction of thrust, accumulates a mass of water, and produces a small amount of thrust. Since this thrust is only effective if it does not spill any water out of its after opening, the bucket is designed to have just sufficient inertia to accumulate a mass of water without spilling any water out of its after opening. During this phase, the bucket performs these functions without dissipating any of the energy of the power source except through friction in the pivot. At position 5, the charged bucket nests against the peripheral face of the hub, between the flanges and against the baffle described in the previous figure. In this position its tip velocity is V of which the horizontal component V is only slightly greater than V depending on the penetration of the bucket. Its after opening is closed to prevent the escape of its charge of water, except through the orfice described above. It accelerates rapidly from this point, carrying its mass of water with it, producing thrust, and at the same time forcing a jet of water through the orifice into the nest of the following bucket to cushion the nesting impact of that bucket. The orifice closes when the following bucket nests and the leading bucket continues to accelerate to its maximum velocity and to produce its maximum thrust. At position 6 the bucket has accelerated from V to V and has produced its maximum thrust. Since it and its mass 0f water are moving at V which is considerably greater than the speed of the surrounding water, and it is free to swing away from its nest, it continues, through its own inertia, at that accelerated velocity for an interval of time by swinging away from its nest. As it swings away from its nest, it discharges its mass of water through its after opening. The discharged water continues to move faster than the surrounding water and forces the bucket to swing free of the water without carrying any appreciable amount of water with it and without offering any resistance to the rotation of the hub. At position 7, the bucket leaves the water with a tip velocity V, which is equal in magnitude to V, and which has a horizontal component V equal in magnitude to V and the speed of the boat. Since these horizontal speeds are equal, the bucket leaves the water vetically with no horizontal motion that would impede the motion of the boat or produce drag. This completes the cycle of the bucket and illustrates how it uses its own residual energy to enter the water and the residual energy of the accelerated water to leave the water without dissipating any appreciable amount of the energy of the power source. It operates with its hub above the surface of the water so as not to produce hub turbulence and cavitation and it produces thrust as efficiently as a rotating device can produce thrust, throughout the entire time it is penetrating the water.

FIG. 3 shows a typical application of Articulated Water-wheels in a speed boat. They can be used singly, or in multiples, foward, aft, or amidships. They can be driven by any convenient power source. They can run open or hooded, although the latter seems preferable. They should be set to operate with their hubs rotating above the surface of the water, or they should be adjustable so this can be accomplished under varying conditions. They can operate in reverse, but with considerable loss of efficiency. The figure shows a side view and a bottom view of a boat with two Articulated Waterwheels mounted aft. For the type of boat under consideration, this appears to be the best configuration for proper weight distribution and for the most favorable surface condition of the water. In this configuration the water-wheels can be driven differentially and used for steering as well as thrust.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An Articulated Water-wheel consisting of a hub I which rotates above the surface of the water and buckets pivoted about its periphery which enter and leave the water, and which are free to swing between a thrusting position tangent to the hub and an entering position radially extended from the hub, and which buckets are open at their forward faces and partially open and partially closed at their after faces.

2. An Articulated water-wheel of consisting of a hub which rotates above the surface of the water and buckets pivoted about its periphery which enter and leave the water, which are free to swing between thrusting and entering positions, which are open at their forward faces and partially open and partially closed at their after faces, and whose hub is so configured at its periphery that it provides nests that will close the after openings of the buckets when they are nested in their thrusting position tangent to the hub.

3. An Articulated Water-wheel consisting of a hub which rotates above the surface of the water and buckets pivoted about its periphery which enter and leave the water, which are free to swing between thrusting and entering positions, which are open at their forward faces and partially open and partially closed at their after faces, whose hub provides nests at its periphery which close the after openings of the buckets, and whose buckets have partially closed after faces which are so configured that they will bottom in the nests and restrict the buckets from swinging about their pivots beyond that point.

4. An Articulated Water-wheel consisting of a hub which rotates above the surface of the water and buckets pivoted about its periphery which enter and leave the water, which are free to swing between thrusting and entering positions, which are open at their forward faces and partially open and partially closed at their after faces, whose hub provides nests that close the after openings of the buckets, whose buckets bottom in the nests, and whose nests have orifices at their after ends which allow passage of water into the nests that follow in the sequence of rotation prior to the bottoming of the buckets in those following nests.

5. An Articulated Water-wheel consisting of a hub which rotates above the surface of the water and buckets pivoted about its periphery which enter and leave the water, which are free to swing between thrusting and entering positions, which are open at their forward faces and partially open and partially closed at their after faces, whose hub provides nests that close the after openings of the buckets, whose buckets bottom in the nests, and whose nests are so configured at their after ends that they will assist the discharge of water as they rotate when the buckets are swinging away from the nests.

6. An Articulated Water-wheel consisting of a hub which rotates above the surface of the water and buckets pivoted about its periphery which enter and leave the water, which are free to swing between thrusting and entering positions, which are open at their forward faces and partially open and partially closed at their after faces, whose hub provides nests that close the after openings of the buckets, whose buckets bottom in the nests, and whose buckets are so configured at their after ends that they will close against the nest when they are bottomed and will assist the discharge of water when they are swinging away from the nest.

7. An Articulated Water-wheel consisting of a hub which rotates above the surface of the water and buckets pivoted about its periphery which enter and leave the water, which are free to swing between thrusting and entering positions, which are open at their forward faces and partially open and partially closed at their after faces, whose hub provides nests that close the after openings of the buckets, restrict the swing of the buckets when they bottom in the nests, and which nests are so configured at their forward ends that they restrict the buckets from swinging beyond a suitable extended radial position.

8. An Articulated Water-wheel consisting of a hub which rotates above the surface of the water and buckets pivoted about its periphery which enter and leave the water, which are free to swing between thrusting and entering positions, which are open at their forward faces and partially open and partially closed at their after faces, whose hub provides nests that close the after openings of the buckets, restrict the swing of the buckets beyond their nested position and their extended radial position, and assist the discharge of water when the buckets swing free of their nests, and whose hub and buckets are constructed of riveted, welded, cast, machined, forged, rolled, drawn, or extruded materials suitable for the application.

9. An Articulated Water-wheel consisting of a hub which rotates above the surface of the water and buckets pivoted about its periphery which enter and leave the water, which are free to swing between thrusting and entering positions, which are open at their forward faces and partially open and partially closed at their after faces, whose hub provides nests that close the after openings of the buckets, restrict the swing of the buckets beyond their nested position and their extended radial position, and assist the discharge of water when their buckets swing free of their nests, and whose buckets fit freely in their nests, mounted on easily removable pivot pins, so that they are easily replaceable,

when they are worn or damaged during operation. 

1. An Articulated Water-wheel consisting of a hub which rotates above the surface of the water and buckets pivoted about its periphery which enter and leave the water, and which are free to swing between a thrusting position tangent to the hub and an entering position radially extended from the hub, and which buckets are open at their forward faces and partially open and partially closed at their after faces.
 2. An Articulated water-wheel of consisting of a hub which rotates above the surface of the water and buckets pivoted about its periphery which enter and leave the water, which are free to swing between thrusting and entering positions, which are open at their forward faces and partially open and partially closed at their after faces, and whose hub is so configured at its periphery that it provides nests that will close the after openings of the buckets when they are nested in their thrusting position tangent to the hub.
 3. An Articulated Water-wheel consisting of a hub which rotates above the surface of the water and buckets pivoted about its periphery which enter and leave the water, which are free to swing between thrusting and entering positions, which are open at their forward faces and partially open and partially closed at their after faces, whose hub provides nests at its periphery which close the after openings of the buckets, and whose buckets have partially closed after faces which are so configured that they will bottom in the nests and restrict the buckets from swinging about their pivots beyond that point.
 4. An Articulated Water-wheel consisting of a hub which rotates above the surface of the water and buckets pivoted about its periphery which enter and leave the water, which are free to swing between thrusting and entering positions, which are open at their forward faces and partially open and partially closed at their after faces, whose hub provides nests that close the after openings of the buckets, whose buckets bottom in the nests, and whose nests have orifices at their after ends which allow passage of water into the nests that follow in the sequence of rotation prior to the bottoming of the buckets in those following nests.
 5. An Articulated Water-wheel consisting of a hub which rotates above the surface of the water and buckets pivoted about its periphery which enter and leave the water, which are free to swing between thrusting and entering positions, which are open at their forward faces and partially open and partially closed at their after faces, whose hub provides nests that close the after openings of the buckets, whose buckets bottom in the nests, and whose nests are so configured at their after ends that they will assist the discharge of water as they rotate when the buckets are sWinging away from the nests.
 6. An Articulated Water-wheel consisting of a hub which rotates above the surface of the water and buckets pivoted about its periphery which enter and leave the water, which are free to swing between thrusting and entering positions, which are open at their forward faces and partially open and partially closed at their after faces, whose hub provides nests that close the after openings of the buckets, whose buckets bottom in the nests, and whose buckets are so configured at their after ends that they will close against the nest when they are bottomed and will assist the discharge of water when they are swinging away from the nest.
 7. An Articulated Water-wheel consisting of a hub which rotates above the surface of the water and buckets pivoted about its periphery which enter and leave the water, which are free to swing between thrusting and entering positions, which are open at their forward faces and partially open and partially closed at their after faces, whose hub provides nests that close the after openings of the buckets, restrict the swing of the buckets when they bottom in the nests, and which nests are so configured at their forward ends that they restrict the buckets from swinging beyond a suitable extended radial position.
 8. An Articulated Water-wheel consisting of a hub which rotates above the surface of the water and buckets pivoted about its periphery which enter and leave the water, which are free to swing between thrusting and entering positions, which are open at their forward faces and partially open and partially closed at their after faces, whose hub provides nests that close the after openings of the buckets, restrict the swing of the buckets beyond their nested position and their extended radial position, and assist the discharge of water when the buckets swing free of their nests, and whose hub and buckets are constructed of riveted, welded, cast, machined, forged, rolled, drawn, or extruded materials suitable for the application.
 9. An Articulated Water-wheel consisting of a hub which rotates above the surface of the water and buckets pivoted about its periphery which enter and leave the water, which are free to swing between thrusting and entering positions, which are open at their forward faces and partially open and partially closed at their after faces, whose hub provides nests that close the after openings of the buckets, restrict the swing of the buckets beyond their nested position and their extended radial position, and assist the discharge of water when their buckets swing free of their nests, and whose buckets fit freely in their nests, mounted on easily removable pivot pins, so that they are easily replaceable, when they are worn or damaged during operation. 